The Gradian Wars
The Gradian Wars was a massive civil conflict occuring in the Bakarus (now called Grenadus), beginning in 1445. The war is largely attributed with Eric Grad (whom the war is named after), due to his conquest of the capital city of Bakarus, Primus (now called Leningrad) in 1445, and subsequent conquests against anyone who opposed him. It is also notable due to the war essentially destroyed the Bakarus Republic. Prelude The back history to the conflict began in 1440, when Eric Grad was secretly recruiting massive amounts of Bakari in Finland to his cause. While he was doing this, the Bakarus Republic was dealing with a crisis in Ukraine, as spies from Ukraine had been captured on Bakarus soil. The Bakari wanted war with the Ukranians, but the Senate protested. Eric Grad hated the Bakarus Republic, due to they had conquered his people, the Finnish, in the 1300s, and had committed massive atrocities against them. He created a movement, demanding that the Finnish people strike back at the Bakarus Republic and reestablish themselves as a dominant force. Eric soon became power hungry, wanting the massive riches that the Republic contained. When Eric became a skilled Bakari commander in 1443, he built up his army, eventually gaining 20,000 troops, many of them Finnish and supporters of his movement, under his command. At the height of the Ukranian crisis, the Senate ordered his forces back to the capital city of Primus in order to act as the city's defending garrison. Eric took advantage of this, using a strategy of suprise he had developed years back. This was his chance to take Primus and inflict a critical blow against the Republic. Sacking of Primus In June of 1445, Eric's army of 20,000 arrived outside Primus. Eric would execute his plan, wasting no time. Immediately, the catapults would open fire, firing flaming rocks. They softened up Primus's defenses, as well as taking many civilians by suprise. Not knowing what to do, they panicked and ran to find cover, but to no avail. The cannons would then open fire, blasting defending troops on top of the city's walls and creating holes in the walls, as well as smashing the city gates. The calvary would then charge in first, slaughtering the defending soldiers at the gates. The remaining infantry then charged in through the holes in the wall, shooting and slicing at defending soldiers and civilians. Even children were killed. Many women were dragged away and gang raped. After the battle was over, a total of 120,000 people were dead. Eric's soldiers had torched the city, and massive fires erupted, burning down huge portions of Primus. Dead bodies littered the streets, with pools of blood everywhere. Eric himself killed thousands of people and raped many women. Before the battle began, the Senate was actually in session, holding a meeting about the Ukranian crisis. Eric's soldiers stormed the Senatorial Complex, obliterating any senator they caught trying to escape, and then they burned the building down. Five days after the battle, Eric returned to Primus after having gone to neigboring cities to recruit Bakari to his cause. He renamed the city Leningrad, after his father, and then made plans to incorporate the rest of the Bakarus Republic under his leadership. The Sacking of Primus sent ripples through Bakarus, as well as the international community. Many Bakari simply did not know what to do. Eventually, they ended up forming groups, some supporting Eric while others opposing him. There were many different factions, each vying for control- the perfect recipe for a civil war. Gradian Conquests Eric, now in control of Grenadus (formerly Bakarus, but he renamed the country after himself), would begin a massive campaign to take down any faction that opposed him. He gave these factions two options- surrender or die.